Something Borrowed
by twinkachu
Summary: Dave returns something he should have a long time ago. Part 6 of the 365 day project as well as a much revised version of an old story.


Dave cursed and threw yet more things onto his bed. All he needed as his old baseball glove, how far could it possibly have gone? He'd found a lot of other things so far. Old report cards, a porno mag Azimio had given him for his thirteenth birthday, more jock straps than he would have believed. Nothing useful yet. His fingers brushed against something smooth and cold. Dave almost recoiled, but held his ground. Even though it had been a year Dave could remember exactly what it was. The cake topper. Dave's old baseball glove was forgotten as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the groom's face. He'd taken this from Kurt a year ago, a little longer. He hadn't even realized he still had it, would in fact probably not have found it until he moved out. It felt like looking at an artifact from another life.

Over the summer Dave had made a decision: Karofsky the bully would die leaving just plain Dave behind. It'd been a challenge, especially in the beginning. Yet in his new school he found a bit of uneasy peace. Dave was not well known nor did he have many friends but it suited him well enough. He was beginning to see the kind of life he could one day have. Something without people fearing him.

No matter what he tried though things kept coming back to remind him. Little things. Running into Kurt (with his doofy looking boyfriend of course, that was the icing on the cake) at Scandals just last month was one. Talking to Santana after she was outed was another. Life wasn't going to let him forget who he used to be. The cake topper was just another confirmation.

He gripped the topper and prepared to throw it into the trash can where it belonged but froze. This was Kurt's, not his. Kurt deserved to have it back with an apology didn't he? Maybe it was just an excuse to see Kurt again, Dave didn't know. He grabbed his keys and headed downstairs. "This is a stupid idea," he muttered. "What the _hell_ am I doing?"

The Hummel house was only about ten minutes away. Had it been any farther Dave surely could have talked himself out of it. But before he managed to coax himself into going home Dave found himself into their driveway and turning off the engine. There were lights on, he could see that even from the cab of his truck. But there was only one car there. With Dave's luck it would be Kurt's father. He cringed remembering the last few meetings he'd had with the other man. That was something he'd rather skip.

A flicker of movement from the second floor window caught his eye. Damn it, someone had seen him. Dave was certain that whoever it was would think he was a complete psycho or something. Who just sits in someone's driveway with the engine off? Serial killers, he supposed. Maybe rapists. Nobody that the Hummels would be pleased to encounter. It was do or die, he had to finish this errand. Grabbing the cake topper he got out of his truck and knocked lightly on the front door.

There was movement in the house and then Kurt opened the door wearing the most ridiculous moose pajama pants Dave had ever seen on an adult. "What are you doing here? It's late." Kurt sounded so wary, Dave could see how he was tensed to run. Another reminded. Dave figured to get it over with. "Here," he said gruffly as he thrust the cake topper into Kurt's hands. "It's yours. You can have it back now." Kurt looked at the cake topper as if he'd never seen it before. "You found my house an drove here at eleven in the evening to return some stupid trinket?" Dave couldn't blame Kurt for not believing such a thing. "And I wanted to say I'm really sorry for everything I did to you. I don't have an excuse, I'm just sorry," Dave added.

"I forgave you a long time ago, David," Kurt sighed. "Well, you're here anyway. Do you want to come in for some cocoa?" Cocoa? For a second Dave was sure he had misheard. "I, sure, I mean if it's not too much trouble." Kurt moved aside to usher Dave in and shrugged. "It's no harder to make cocoa for two than it is for one. No big deal." Dave watched as Kurt sashayed (there was really no other word for the way Kurt walked, even in moose pajamas Dave wanted to do unspeakable things to him) into the kitchen. "Nobody else is home," Kurt said over his shoulder as he poured milk into a saucepan. "Dad and Carole are on a date and Finn is off doing Finn things. I think he's with Sam or something." Dave leaned against the counter and watched Kurt in silence. He looked so at home in the kitchen. Kurt would probably look cute in a frilly little apron. "Is that why you're wearing those pajamas? Since nobody was supposed to see you?" Kurt turned with the saucepan in hand and a scowl on his face. Nothing could end well while Kurt wore than expression. "I don't have to dress up all the time," Kurt sniffed. "Besides, they're very festive." Dave nodded. Festive. Right. Whatever Kurt said.

Kurt filled two mugs with the cocoa and smiled. "Now you can judge my fashion choices - which are still better than yours, might I add - or you can praise my cocoa to the heavens while I preen like a canary." Dave couldn't help but laugh. Who would have thought Kurt would be funny? "I think I'll just go with the cocoa," Dave said as he took a sip. It certainly beat the powdered stuff. Maybe Kurt had some skills after all. "It's amazing. I bow before your abilities," he said. Kurt giggled and took a small sip of his own mug. Dave noticed how Kurt would touch the tip of his tongue to his upper lip between sips. It was mesmerizing.

"You should come back, you know. McKinley's not the same school that you left." Dave looked up in surprise. "I can't do that." Slowly, as if approaching a feral animal that was known to bit, Kurt put his hand over Dave's. "I don't mean you have to come out of the closet. But if you wanted to you'd be okay. People's minds are changing, you know? And we all kind of miss you." The fingers squeezed Dave's hands lightly before pulling away. "I miss you." Kurt Hummel missed him. Now Dave was certain that this was all a dream. He obviously had crashed his truck and this was his hallucination before he got dragged off to Hell or wherever it was that he'd be going. "I miss you too." Was it hot in here? Dave felt like he was running a fever. "Just think about it, okay? Maybe you could join Glee club." Kurt smiled. Well, when he put it that way... maybe Dave could suck it up and transfer back. You know, if it meant that Kurt would smile at him like that. "It's getting really late. I should probably go and let you sleep." Kurt looked almost disappointed. "I guess you're right. Here, I'll walk you out." Dave got to his feet. Still feverish, but maybe that was just the Kurt effect.

"Thank you for the cake topper," Kurt said softly as he opened the front door. Dave would have sold his soul for mistletoe at that moment. Kurt's lips had never looked more tempting. He imagined they'd taste of chocolate. "It was yours anyway. Thanks for the cocoa though, it was amazing." Dave quickly stepped outside. He hoped the cold would clear his head. The last thing he wanted was for anything to ruin the strange friendship they had created. "Goodnight, David," Kurt whispered as he closed the door. "Goodnight, Kurt."

All during the drive home Dave was grinning. He hadn't been this happy in a long time, if ever. Kurt Hummel missed him. Missed. As in at some point during Kurt's day he thought of none other than Dave Karofsky. He felt drunk at that thought. In the morning he'd talk to his father about transferring back to McKinley. He had to see where things could go with Kurt.


End file.
